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a humanitarian standpoint, the Service should, of course, do everything necessary which could be done without great additional cost.

You asked for a dental assistant with five years' experience to be detailed with you. That, of course, is impossible. If you do not go, it will probably be necessary for us to detail one of the younger officers to make this trip, as all of the older officers are needed as administrators and supervisors of larger dental clinics in large hospitals. In the future, it is hardly likely that the same officer will make more than one or two trips, but as all of our officers, I am sure, are conscientious in their work and dealings with other men, I am confident that they will perform efficient service.

The irregularity of this detail, together with the many restrictions of the government service, makes it difficult for me to make definite arrangements with you to go at any time you see fit. For instance, when we detail you for this work it is up to the Coast Guard to pay your transportation from your present location to the nearest port from which the ship sails. Last year, as you know, they paid your transportation to Nome under protest and after considerable personal persuasion from me, but they did not have funds available for that transportation until after July 1st. I have been in touch with them for the last week and have been unable to get a statement from them as yet as to whether or not funds will be available for this travel during the month of June. They did say, however, that money would be available after July 1st and promised to call me back today or tomorrow and let me know whether or not they could handle this expense in June. They feel that a dental officer should be assigned to the boat and go on board when she leaves her home port instead of joining the boat, at their expense, some several thousand miles north. As soon as I hear from them I shall either added a paragraph to this letter or write you another letter giving you their statement.

In your letter of April 5th you request information regarding return transportation and state that you feel it better to have all details understood before you leave. In this connection, I can only say that at the time you were here last spring we did make final arrangements and they were that you were to pay all of your expenses both going and coming, in order that you might be given the opportunity of going with the Northland. I told you at that time that if I was able to assist in any way I would do so, but although I felt sure at that time that I could contribute a great deal, I did not make any promises, as my experience with government procedures has made me familiar with any one man's inability to carry out many things which he would like to do. After this agreement, the transportation to Nome, salary and moving picture films were some things I was able to get, after many consultations.

At the time you left the Northland, which was while she was on her homeward way, we were short of funds and unable to pay your transportation home. this should not have embarrassed you in any way

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transportation films etc.
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travel expense in June-?
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?
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